Container supporting means



A. V. OSBCRNE CONTAINER SUPPORTING MEANS Oct. 1, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1955 INVENTOR. I ALEC I! OSBORNE ms .arrgmsr 06L 1957 A. v. OSBORNE 52,808,176

CONTAINER SUPPORTING MEANS Filed April 19, 1955 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALEG V OSBORNE Oct. 1, 1957 A. v. OSBORNE CONTAINER SUPPORTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 19, 1955 N k NM IN VEN TOR. ALEC V 0$BORNE United States Patent CONTAINER SUPPORTING MEANS Alec V. Osborne, Brighton, N. Y., assignor to The Pfaudler Co., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 19, 1955, Serial No. 502,391

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-97) This invention relates to relatively large containers for storing beverage or other liquids and means for efiiciently supporting the same. Such containers are commonly constructed in a generally cylindrical shape of considerable length and diameter, with relatively thin metal walls and a vitreous enamel or glass lining to protect the walls against corrosion by the contents. The containers are commonly arranged with a horizontally extending cylindrical axis and are subjected to considerable stresses and strains under the weight of the liquid contents. Since excessive strains or deformation of the container walls may fracture and puncture the glass lining, effective means must be provided for adequately supporting the containers so as to prevent the occurrence of such strains.

In the firing of such containers to fuse the enamel lining, as well understood in the art, the attachment to the container walls of metal parts of considerable thickness or mass tends to interfere with the uniform heating and cooling during the firing operation and it is desirable to avoid the attachment at such time of supporting parts of substantial mass. At the same time, the containers require substantial and strong supporting parts to effectively sustain their considerable weight and maintain their shape against deformation when filled with liquid.

It is desirable also to support such containers with their opposite ends at accurately adjusted elevations relative to each other for the purpose of enabling the container to be completely filled so as to exclude oxidizing air during periods of storage and aging, as well as to promote drainage of the contents while being emptied through an outlet at one end and the provision of suitably adjustable supporting means is advantageous for these purposes also.

It is advantageous, furthermore, to provide supporting means of such a nature as to be capable of disassembly of the main parts to facilitate transportation, as well as.

any assembly and disassembly which may be desired in i the field.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a supporting means for such containers of such a nature that the container may be fired to fuse its enamel lining with minimum interference with uniform temperature conditions by supporting attachments.

Another object of the invention is to provide supporting means for such containers of such a nature as to efficiently protect them against the damaging stresses and strains in use.

Another object is to provide such supporting means of a sufliciently adjustable nature to accurately arrange and maintain the positioning of the container and compensate for any inequalities of surface in the foundations for the same.

Another object is to provide supporting means of the character described so constructed as to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of its major portions.

Still a further object is the provision of supporting "ice means of the above nature in a type of construction adapted to be readily and economically manufactured and assembled.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

in the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a pair of liquid storage containers and supporting means therefor embodying the present invention; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevation of parts shown in Fig. 1 to better illustrate the details;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a reduced side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line '6-6 in Fig. 2 showing pedestal supporting means;

Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view on the line 7-7 in Fig. 2; i

Fig. 8 is a reduced end elevation of the lower container detached from its supporting means, and

Fig. 9 is a similar end elevation of the upper container detached.

In the drawings, a pair of containers 20 and 21 are shown compactly supported in superposed relation on a common supporting means comprising columns or legs, as 22, located on opposite sides adjacent each end of the lower container 21. These columns are preferably in the form of rigid and strong, pipe-like, tubular members on which the connecting supports for the container are mounted. These connecting supports are mainly in the form of metal plates which are secured to the containers after they have been fired. The only supporting portions attached to the thin walled metal containers during firing to fuse the linings, are narrow bands of plate material shaped to fit and edge-welded to the container walls.. The lower container 21 is thus provided with substantially semi-circular bands, 23 and 24, edge-welded to opposite sides of the container adjacent its ends, as shown. Preferably, the bands are welded to the dished heads of the container at-their peripheral knuckle portions where the latter are curved into line with and welded to the cylindrical container side walls, as shown.

The bands 23 and 24 onopposite sides at each end of the lower container provide means for attachment thereto of a pair of upper and lower supporting plates 25 and 26 on each of the columns 22. These plates are edgewelded to the surface of the column longitudinally thereof, the opposite edges of the plates being shaped to conform with andoverlap the adjacent container band, as 23. The connection of each plate, as 26, with its band 23, is preferably by means of a series of bolts 29 by means of which each column and its attached supporting plate may be disassembled from the container.

For the purpose of compact assembly of the column with the container, each column is provided on its side toward the container with a longitudinally extending slot (not shown) to receive the projecting container band, as 23, and a portion of the column is cut away as at 30 to provide some clearance of the side wall of the container. Each columnat its reduced portion 30 is preferably reinforced by a longitudinal plate 31 welded to its inner surface opposite such reduced portion, as shown in Fig. 1. This construction facilitates compact location of a number of pairs of superposed containers and conservation of floor space.

The upper container 20 is preferably provided with similar bands, as 32 and 33 (Fig. 1) on opposite sides at each end. Each band extends around the lower part of each side of the container, as shown, and is shaped to fit and edge-welded to the knuckle portion of the container head, as described in connection with the lower container. After firing, each of these bands has edge-welded thereto, as at 34, a supporting plate, as 35,-which is stiffened by laterally extending flanges 36 and 37. A further stiffening plate 38 is edge-welded to plate 35 at right angles thereto so as to extend at its other end into shaped proximity with the container head. The head has thin, plate lug portions 40 edge-welded thereto previous to firing and plate 38 is welded to these lugs after firing, for minimum interference with the firing temperatures of the head. l

The above described supporting means for the upper container 20 is preferably mounted on the tops of the adjacent columns by means providing for verticaladjustmerit. Such means preferably comprises a cylindrical casting 41 secured to each plate 35 which is cut away at its corner to fit the castingand welded thereto. Gusset plates 42 are preferably edge-Welded. to opposite sides of each plate 35 and to the top of the casting 41 to further strengthen the connection.

Casting v41 is preferably. formed with a curved or hemispherical bearing surface 43 (Fig. 7) for the reception of the curved or hemispherical bearing surface on the upper 'end 44 of a leveling screw 45 threadedly engaged in a nut 46 Welded to plate means 47 welded in turn to the top of the column. Screw 45 is formed with an opening 48 for engagement by a bar for turning the screw to adjust the elevation of the coacting container support. A pair of set screws, as 49, are preferably provided in casting 41 for locking the leveling screws in place after suitable adjustment. The sockets for the inner ends of these set screws are drilled in the leveling screw after adjustment of the latterfs elevation in the installation. ,If

Eachcolumn is provided with a pedestal, as 50, welded to a base plate 51 set into the foundation, as well understood in the art Threadedly engaged in each pedestal is a leveling screw 52 formed with an opening, as 53,-for engagement by a bar for turning the screw as previously described. The upper end of each screw 52 has a bearing surface of hemispherical shape coacting with the bearing surface in a hemispherical socket in a castingf54 welded in the lower end of the column. Set screws 55 are preferably provided in the casting for securing' the leveling screws in adjusted position. Such hemispherical bearing surfaces afiord a limited tilting adjustment between the column and pedestal to accommodate for any inequalities in levelof the foundation, while the leveling screw provides for compensating adjustment of the elevation.

The containers are supported with their cylindrical axes horizontal but are preferably slightly tapered in diameter from oneend to the other, as shown, being slightly smaller at the right hand end as seen in Fig. 4. As indicated, this arrangement permits of complete filling of each container with liquid, through an opening at'its larger end, sons to exclude any body of air which might tend to oxidize the liquid. At the same time, the bottom of each container inclines slightly downwardly toward the larger end, to facilitate drainage. Each tank is equipped, of course, with suitable filling inlets and discharge outlets and the other known and usual appurtenances (not shown) as well understood in the art.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects. The containers, during firing, carry only narrow bands, as 23, 24, 32 and 33, and end lugs 40, which are of such minimum thickness and mass as to avoid any appreciable affect on the temperatures of the container parts during firing. The containers thus stripped, the columns 22 with their attached plates and the supporting means for attachment to the upper container, are separately and conveniently transported to a place of installation in the field where the parts are then readily assembled in bolted and welded connections. with the container bands, as described. The several provisions for adjustment of the supports facilitate accurate positioning of the containers on the supporting foundation with compensation for variations in level and elevation of the same. The containers are supported at their dished heads which are their strongest portions and the supporting means are of a substantially strong and rigid design amply adapted to support and maintain the containers against strains and deformation and any injury to their vitreous enamel linings, while the practical design of the several parts contributes to economical manufacture and ready assembly in the field, in compactly superposed pairs and with a minimum lateral width for closing spacing between laterally adjacent pairs.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

'1. Means for supporting a pair of horizontally extending, cylindrical metal containers in superposed relation with each other, said containers having dished heads with peripheral knuckle portions welded to the side walls thereof and having their inner surfaces coated with vitreous enamel linings, said supporting means comprising columns of tubular shape in cross section and located adjacent the ends of opposite sides of said containers, relatively thin metal plate bands of narrow width curved to fit the circumference of said knuckle portions of said heads and edge-welded thereto on opposite sides of said containers to extend radially thereof, supporting plates edge-welded to the outeredges of said bands of the upper container and extending laterally of said container, metal plate lugs edge-welded to said heads of said upper container in outwardly extending relation, stiffening plates welded to said lugs and edge-welded to said supporting plates of said upper container, supporting plates edgewelded to said columns and detachably bolted to said bands of said lower container, leveling screw means supporting said columns and leveling screw means on the upper ends of said columns detachably supporting said supporting plates of said upper container, whereby said columns are detachable from said containers and said containersare detachable from each other.

2. Means for supporting a pair of horizontally extending, cylindrical metal containers in s'uperposed relation with each other, said containers having dished heads with peripheral knuckle portions Welded to the side walls thereof and having their inner surfaces coated with vitreous enamel linings, said supporting means comprising columns of tubular shape in cross section and located adjacent the ends of opposite sides of said containers, relatively thin metal plate bands of narrow width curved to fit the circumference: of said knuckle portions of said heads and'edge-weldedlthereto on opposite sides of said containers to extend radially thereof, supporting plates edgewelded to the outer edges of said bands of the upper container and extending laterally of said container, metal plate lugs edge-welded to said heads of said upper container in outwardly extending relation, stiffening plates Welded to said lugs and edge-welded to said supporting plates of said upper container, supporting plates edgewelded to said'columns and detachably bolted to said bands of said lower container, said columns having portions cut away to detachably receive the adjacent side wall portions of said lower container and said bands thereof, leveling screw means supporting said columns and -leveling screw means on the upper endsof said columns detachably 'supporting saidsupporting plates of said upper container, whereby said columns are detachable from References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,267,417 Nilson Dec. 23, 1941 6 Strothman Oct. 19, 1943 Horton Sept. 23, 1947 Jackson Dec. 28, 1948 Jones Mar. 8, 1949 

